DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Hearing regarding proposed action which would amend tidal finfish regulations pertaining to the recreational and commercial Striped Bass fisheries. The proposed amendments may be inspected at the Departmentâ€™s offices located at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, or are available by calling the Fisheries Section at (302) 739-9914.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

To share information and gather public comments regarding wildlife conservation and wildlife area user services and related hunting and trapping license fees; also receive input on a possible Conservation Access Pass for public wildlife areas.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

To share information and gather public comments regarding wildlife conservation and wildlife area user services and related hunting and trapping license fees; also receive input on a possible Conservation Access Pass for public wildlife areas.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

To share information and gather public comments regarding wildlife conservation and wildlife area user services and related hunting and trapping license fees; also receive input on a possible Conservation Access Pass for public wildlife areas.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This public hearing is to obtain public input regarding the Department's proposal to establish reporting requirements for gray fox taken or captured; also to ensure consistency with and to clarify the allowable timeframe and methodology for reporting coyote and nutria harvests.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The proposed action is in response to a formal request of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) for member states to consider adopting incidental commercial trip limits and recreational bag limits for blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps) similar to current Virginia and Maryland state regulations.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

To provide Delawareâ€™s licensed knobbed conch (Busycon carica) dredgers with access to this resource similar to that of their New Jersey counterparts. Comments will be heard/received on proposed amendments to 7 DE Admin Code 3710 Conch, 3711 Conch Minimum Size Limits & 3712 Commercial Conch Dredge Licenses (to be replaced with a new 3712 Commercial Conch Season).

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The purpose of this action is to adopt provisions consistent with Addendum IV to Amendment 6 to the ASMFCâ€™s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atl Striped Bass. Addendum IV requires states to reduce their coastal striped bass harvest by 25%. Delaware will accomplish the specified 25% commercial fishery reduction through an adjustment to the annual commercial quota. Six options, approved by the Commission, are available to achieve the required 25% reduction in the recreational harvest.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a joint public hearing regarding the future direction of summer flounder management in DE waters. A comprehensive amendment to the summer flounder fishery management plan is being developed, and this hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to provide input on summer flounder management. The public is encouraged to submit comments.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Draft Addendum proposes new fishing mortality (F) reference points, as recommended by the 2013
benchmark stock assessment, and associated management measures to reduce F to a level at or below the
proposed target within one or three years.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Action proposes to modify Delawareâ€™s commercial weakfish management approach of intermittent net closure days from May 1-June 30 to an uninterrupted closed season (all gears) from May 1-June 2. The amendment proposes a weakfish bycatch allowance during the closure of up to 100 pounds per day or trip for the commercial gill net fishery and accommodates commercial fishing for species other than weakfish (e.g., Atlantic menhaden and black drum).

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This action proposes the regulations necessary to provide for a shellfish aquaculture industry in Delawareâ€™s Inland Bays. Specifically, this action proposes a structured process and sets conditions for leasing of subaqueous bottom within Delawareâ€™s Inland Bays for the culture of bivalve shellfish.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This second workshop will gather additional public input on developing Delawareâ€™s shellfish aquaculture regulations before proposed regulations are formally initiated through the state regulatory approval process. Shellfish aquaculture regulations are required to provide the legal structure for the state in leasing public subaqueous land for, and to oversee commercial shellfish aquaculture ventures, in the Inland Bays.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

To formally adopt the provisions of the federal Final Rule for the recreational black sea bass fishery and remain compliant with Addendum XXIII to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissionâ€™s (ASMFC) Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The current black sea bass regulation was enacted between 2001 and 2003 to, in part, limit the number of permits issued for the black sea bass commercial fish pot and commercial hook and line fisheries. The proposed amendments to 7 DE Admin Code 3507 (3.0), (5.0) & (6.0) allow the transfer of black sea bass commercial fishery permits consistent with transfer criteria established in 7 Del.C. Ch. 29.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This proposed action seeks to define and prevent the possession and use of Asian horseshoe crabs (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, Tachypleus gigas and T. tridentatus) to protect human health and the shellfish resources of the State.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Delawareâ€™s 2012 summer flounder landings were 38,740 fish under the existing regulation. Under present interstate management, Delawareâ€™s 2013 summer flounder allowable catch is 78,512 fish. Four options were developed and approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissionâ€™s Summer Flounder, Black Sea Bass and Scup Technical Committee. These options will serve as the basis for the proposed regulatory change.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This action proposes to include definitions and measures to control the proliferation of invasive finfish in Delawareâ€™s tidal waters. Snakehead fish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, walking catfish and grass carp are invasive finfish species likely to cause environmental and economic harm.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissionâ€™s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board has released Draft Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden
for public review and comment. The Draft Amendment presents a suite of options to manage and monitor the stock in both the short and long-term.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The DNREC has received several requests from the commercial fishing sector to change the weekend closure periods from Friday through Sunday to Saturday through Monday, which would enable DE's commercial gill netters to more adequately supply the recreational bait market with fresh Atlantic menhaden for weekend anglers.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

To formally define designated trout ponds (Tidbury in Kent County and Newton in Sussex County); establish open and closed seasons for designated trout ponds; and, prohibit fishing in designated trout ponds 14 days prior to the scheduled pond trout season opener. Further, this action seeks to authorize the taking of northern and blotched snakehead (invasive species) by bow and arrow and spear; and, make a number of minor editorial corrections to the non-tidal regulations.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The purpose of this action is to formally adopt the full provisions of the federal rule for the recreational black sea bass fishery and remain compliant with Addendum XXII by amending Tidal Finfish Regulation 3507 Black Sea Bass Size Limit; Trip Limits; Seasons; Quotas through the normal regulatory process.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The purpose of this action is to amend the tautog (Tautoga onitis) regulations, with possible changes to the season, size and creel limits. Two options to achieve the required 39% reduction in tautog landings were developed and will be presented.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Amendment 2 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for Shad and River Herring prohibits commercial and recreational river herring fisheries in state waters beginning January 1, 2012 unless a state or jurisdiction can demonstrate that their alewife and/or blueback herring stock(s) can support a commercial and/or recreational fishery that will not diminish potential future stock reproduction and recruitment. The lack of reliable, system-

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This Council is charged with providing guidance to the Division of Fish & Wildlife in selecting and prioritizing construction and maintenance projects for the Fisheries Section and considers issues relative to funding of any fishery-related projects.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This subcommittee will meet to discuss the possibility of increasing the service charge that the Division of Fish & Wildlife's license agents are allowed to charge for the service of selling fishing and hunting licenses.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 regarding proposed modifications to Tidal Finfish Regulation 3531 Tautog; Size Limits, Creel Limits and Season. The purpose of the proposed revision is to bring Delaware into compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog. The ASMFC completed an update to the stock assessment for tautog in 2011. The results

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

This sub-committee will meet to discuss the possibility of increasing the fee that license agents are allowed to charge for the service of selling Fish & Wildlife licenses for recreational fishing, hunting, etc.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Complaints and conflicts have surfaced between recreational hook and line fishermen and commercial fish pot fishermen on some of the artificial reef sites developed in the Delaware Bay. The abundance of fish pots and their marking lines and floats have in some instances prevented or interfered with normal recreational fishing opportunities. The Department has recently received legislative authority to regulate the type of fishing gear that can be used on reef sites within Delaware waters. The

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan details the annual process that the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Board, the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service are to use for conservation equivalency in the recreational summer flounder fishery. These agencies agreed at their joint meeting on December 15, 2010 that the states would implement conservation equivalent measures rather than a coastwide management program for summer flounder in 2011. Th

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

In May 2010, the Tautog Management Board (Board) initiated the development of an addendum to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Tautog to restrict illegal harvest activities and prevent an increase in fishing mortality rate (F) before completion of the next stock assessment.
In November 2010, the Spiny Dogfish & Coastal Sharks Management Board (Board) approved a motion to initiate the development of an addendum to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Spiny Dogfish to

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control proposes to extend the effective dates for Delaware's annual horseshoe crab harvest limit through April 30, 2013 in accordance with the provisions of the Addendum VI to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Horseshoe Crabs. Under the provisions of Addendum VI, Delaware's annual quota allocation will remain at 100,000 male horseshoe crabs. Male horseshoe crabs may be harvested from

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

In February, the Horseshoe Crab Management Board initiated development of Draft Addendum VI in response to several factors. These include the impending expiration of Addendum V's provisions on October 31, 2010; the findings of the recent benchmark stock assessment for horseshoe crab and its associated Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) framework; and continued public concern regarding the horseshoe population and its ecological role in the Delaware Bay, specifically its connection to the red kn

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has scheduled this hearing to gather public comment on Draft Addendum II to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. The Draft Addendum proposes two changes to the striped bass management program: (1) an increase in the coastal commercial quota, and (2) revising the definition of recruitment failure based on Technical Committee advice.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

It is proposed to require that oyster tags remain in place on oyster containers while being transported for processing. Tags on oyster containers will be required to remain in place until the containers are opened or emptied by a processor. Processors must retain removed tags for a period of 90 days beyond the end of the calendar year.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Delaware is obligated to cap the summer flounder recreational harvest at 80,000 fish for 2010. The harvest cap has been adjusted up from the previous year's level 65,000 fish because the latest scientific stock assessment data indicates that overfishing is not occurring in the stock and total stock biomass continues to increase. Four management options that include potential minimum size limits ranging from 18.5 inches to 19 inches with creel limits that range from two to four fish will be pr

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is proposing to amend the regulations for weakfish. These proposed regulation changes would reduce the daily recreational creel limit from six (6) fish to one (1) fish, and would restrict all commercial vessels to a maximum of 100 lbs. per day. All other existing size limits and area closures designed to protect weakfish and reduce by-catch would remain in effect.
The DNREC is also proposing new regulations for the management of bl

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

DNREC is proposing to eliminate the special slot limit regulations for largemouth bass in Hearns Pond, Andrews Lake, and Derby Pond and return to the standard 6-fish, 12-inch minimum size limit. The Division of Fish and Wildlife enacted specialized size regulations for largemouth bass in these ponds in May 1990 to address an unbalanced bass population. The specialized regulations were designed to allow harvest of over-abundant small bass, allow for better growth rates, and to protect low numbe

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife / Fish and Wildlife / Natural Resources and Environmental Control

To accept testimony and evidence on proposed modifications to Shellfish Regulation 3711 which would establish a tolerance for undersize knobbed whelks (knobbed conchs) in the dredge and pot commercial fisheries.
Also to accept testimony and evidence on proposed modifications to Tidal Finfish Regulation 3512 which would allow Delaware to come into compliance with Addendum 1 to Amendment 1 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Inshore Stocks of Winter Flounder as administered by the Atlan